Book I. OfjESUSCHRlST. 37

• t: — ■ • — - — ^
nal. How very auftere^how entirely mortified, was the Converfation of the ancient Hermits in the Deferts ? HowlongjhowfharptheTemptationsthey underwent? How fierce and frequent theirConflids with the Enemy of Souls ? How conftant and fervent their Prayers ? How rigorous theirAbftinence, how unblemifhed their Chaftity ? How eager their DQfirCs^how indefatigable their Endeavours after higher degrees of Perfection ? How vigorous and gallant the War they waged againft their Vices and rebellious Appetites ? How pure and lincorrupt all their Intentions, how free from any mix- ture of worldly Profped:s , and fincerely fixed upon God and his Glory ? The whole day they employed in hard Labour, the whole Night in Devotion ; From which their very Labours did net hinder them, for even thefe were confecrated too, by the frequent in- termingling of Prayers and holy Ejaculations.
Their great Care in a v/ord was. That no Portion (oF the time God gave them in the Body, might be fpent unprofitably : And what they laboured to make an im- provement, their Z^al made a Delight. For Time in their efteem was much too fwift ; and their Devotions (o far from creating Wearinefs, that every Hourfeem'd fiiort, and fnatch'd away thofe Joys too haftily, which they felt in converfing v/ith him whom their Soul lo- ved. Their Thoughts were fo intent, their Captures fb entertaining, fo ravifliingly fweet.that ti;ey became almofl all Spirit,and quit forgot their Bodies, and the Care necelTary for fupporting them in Life. Riches, and Honours, and Grcatnefs, and Friendr., and Relati- ons were now no longer their Concern: How fhould they ? when even a part of their own Ferfons ceafed tobefo^ and providing thofe things, without: which Mortals cannot fubfift, was now grown a Trouble, and, to Perfons fo abftradled from Flefh and Senfe, a painful and unfeafonable Interruption of better and • much more important Bulinefs.
D Theft
38 . ^f ti?e limitation Book L
Thefe Men, 'tis true, had no earthly Pofiefiions, but they whio were Poor in that refpec^:, were exceed- ing Wealthy in another, rich in the Favour of God, and abounding in excellent Virtues. What they wanted of outward Comforts was much better fupplied by the plentiful Communications of Divine Graces, the in- ward Refreftiments and unfpeakable Confolations of the BlefTed Spirit. Thefe Strangers to the World were intimately acquainted with its Maker and Lord: and, how meanly Ibever they might think of them- felves, or how defpicable they might appear in the Eyes of others, yet in the fight of God they were par- ,ticularly dear, highly honourable, and precious. They perfevered in their Humility, and fincere Obedience, in their Courage and Conftancy, their Meeknefs, and Patience, and great Charity. And by this Continu- ance in well-doing,and contented fufFering,they made daily advances in Spiritual Perfe(5lion, and attained to a wonderful high pitch of Grace and Favour with God. By this exemplary Pi^jty they are become proper Pat- terns for the Imitation of all devout Men in after- A- ges : And though but a few in Number, ought to en- courage and prevail upon us miOre powerfully to rival their uncommon Zeal, than the numerous Examples of negligent and lukewarm Chriftians fhould do , to liacken and fuffer our Piety to grow cold.
To thefe we may add the ardent Devotion of thofe Holy Men, v;ho retired from the World into Cloifters and Cells, which, at their firftlnilitution, were Places of great Piety and fcvere Virtue. Their Prayers were frequent and devout, their Emulation in fpiricual Per- fedions noble, their Difcipiineftrid and well ordered •, fheir Obedience to Superiors modeft and refpedful. Even thofe Footfteps of their. Piety ftill remaining, from which their Succeffors have fincefo fcandaloufly degenerated, are fufficient to inform us, that the firlt! Combatants in this Vi ar againft the World and the.
Flcfi),
Book J. OfjESUSCHRIST. 39
Flefii, were Men of Gallantry, and Juft Renown. But now alas ! how wretched a pafs arc we come to, when it is counted a mighty matter, if here and there one keep himfelf from tranfgreffing the Rules of his Order, and patiently fubmit to thofe Exercifes which his Profeflion impofes upon him ?
Oh, what a miferable Age of cold Indifference and wicked Carelefnefs are we fallen into I How are the holy Flames of Primitive Zeal extinguifhed I And in- ftead of being a Delight, how great a Wearinefs, how infupportable a Burthen, are Religious Duties and Ex- ercifes become to us ! How wretched is that Stupidity, how profound that Sleep, which now opprefTes the Spirit of Mankind, when fo many bright Examples cannot prevail with us to (hake off our Sloth and Slum- ber, nor awaken our Souls into any tolerable Con- cern for banifh'd Piety and negleded Virtue !
Chap. XIX.
The Exercife of a truly Religious T erf on.
THE Life of a Chriftian, who hath dedicated him* felf to the Service of God, fhould abound with eminent Virtues of all kinds ■ that he may be really the fame Perfon, which he is by outward Appearance and Profeffion. Indeed he ought not only to be the fame, but much more, in his inward difpoficion of Soul, be- caufe he profeffes to ferve a God, who fees the inward Parts,aSearchcr of the Heart and. Reins,a God and Fa- ther of Spirits: And therefore, fmce we are always in his Sight, we fhould be exceeding careful to avoid all Impurity,all that may giveOffence toHim,whofeEyes cannot behold Iniquity. We fhould, in a word, fo far as Mortal and frail Nature can, imitate the Blef-
D^ ftd
40 €)f tint gimttatton Book I.
fed Angels in all manner of Holinefs , fince We, as well as They, are always in his Prefence. To this purpofe it would be expedient , daily to^ renew our Refolutions of living well, and every Mornrng to re« frefh and quicken that Zeal, with which they were made at firft. To beg of God that he would help us, and enable us that Day to begin well ,• To kgin, I fay, for all that we have done hitherto ought in low- Knefs of Mind to feem, and to be acknowledged by us, as nothing.
Great Diligence and Watchfulnefs is neceffary , in order to difcharging faithfully what we have intend- ed, and refolved, zealoufly. For if They, who are moft fincere and vigorous in their Purpofes, are yet too often weary, and remifs in th«ir Performances, What do we think muft needs become of thofe who purpofe but very feldom, or very coldly ? 'Tis true, indeed, the Occafionsof our falling off, or fainting in our Minds, are various and many ,• and feldom do we allow our felves in any Omiffion of Religious Duties, without even thus perceiving a vc^ry fenfible abatement and decay of Zeal. The Perfeverance of good Men, in the midft of fo many Difficulties and Avocations, muft be aferibed to God's Favour and Affiftance, more than to any Care and Wifdom of their own. And Good Men have always this Notion of the'Thing, for they depend upon God. for the Succefs of all they do, even of their beft and wifeft Underta- Prov, xvi. 9. j^jj^gg^ ^ Mans Heart de'uifeth his Way. but - the Lord direBeth his Step, fays Solomon: We may con- trive and ad as feems moft advifeable | Ibid. i. But, as the 'very Vrefarations of the Heart ^y
which we do fo, are from the Lord ; fo is the Event of our having done it entirely in his difpofal.
If at any time a Religious Exercifebe omitted upon the account of fome other Ad of Piety, or fome Work of Charity lat that time inconfiftent with it ,•
this